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Crossing the Bridge:
Natural Areas & Human Health
Kathleen Wolf, Ph.D.Research Social Scientist
University of Washington (Seattle)School of Environmental and Forest SciencesUSFS Pacific NW Research Station
Urban Natural Areas Seminar
12 January 2017
SYSTEMS THINKING
AIRQUALITYSTORMWATER
WASTEWATER
SOLIDWASTE
CULTURALHERITAGE
BIOTA
EXERCISE&FITNESS
ACTIVEMOBILITY
CARBON
ENERGY
HEATISLAND
CONNECTVITY
SOCIALCAPITALALLERGENS
BMP’S
COMMUNITYIDENTITY
PUBLICART
NOISE
credit: American Planning Association
WHO Health Definition
A state of complete
physical, mental, and social well-being
and not merely the absence
of disease or infirmity (1946)
Determinants of Health
Landscape
Community
Gardencredit: Ignacio Bunster-Ossa
Diversity in Metro Nature
x x
including natural areas
public access?
evidence of health benefits?
Sponsors:
USDA Forest Service, U&CF Program
University of Washington
NGO partners
Thanks!
to U of WA students:
Katrina Flora
Mary Ann Rozance
Sarah Krueger
www.greenhealth.washington.edu
Research Reviews & Summaries
Green Cities: Good Health
co-author:
design by:
Green Cities: Good Healthdatabase of >4,000 peer reviewed publications
how to interpret the evidence?
16
Discovery: Human Health Benefits Across the Life Cycle
Urban Forests and Newbornsthe natural environment affects pregnancy outcomes . . .
10% increase in tree-canopy coverwithin 50m of a house
= lower number of low weight births (1.42 per 1000 births)
Donovan et al., Health & Place 2011;
Hystad et al., Env Health Perspectives 2014
Hygiene Hypothesispresence of soil bacteria in body, Mycobacterium vaccae = increased seratoninmay alleviate depressiondirt or Prozac?
Lowry et al. 2007. Neuroscience
Eat Dirt!
WalkingProgramschildreneldersfamilies
walkingmeetings
Shinrin yoku (forest bathing)
• extensive research
• restorative experiences
• workers retirees
• networkedsystem, 52 bases in Japan
complexity - productivity
evidence of lower frustration and higher meditation when moving into the greener streets
Green Streets for Walkability
23
Aspinall et al. 2013. The Urban Brain: Analysing Outdoor Physical Activity with Mobile EEG. British Journal of Sports Medicine
Improving Depression20 adults with major depression walk in a park setting and a built setting
50-minute walks one week apartbefore-after testing:
Mood: Positive and Negative Affect (PANAS)Cognition: Backward Digit Span (BDS)
Berman et al. 2012. Journal of Affective
Disorders
cognitive and affective improvements after walking in a nature setting
Alzheimer’s Disease & DementiaProvide wander gardens & horticulture therapy
10.5% reduction in amount of medications used in dementia facility30% fewer falls, accompanied by a reduction in fall severity
Detweiler et al. 2009. American Journal of
Alzheimer’s Disease and Other Dementias
www.rph.org/eden.html
Tim Lynch Associates
• Iraq/Afghan wars: Brain injury and PTSD in 30% of force
• Military/Vet suicides: 20% of all U.S. suicides• Drugs and surgery relatively ineffective
project support: The TKF Foundation, Nature Sacred program
slides credit: Frederick Foote, M.D. Project Manager for the Green Road Project
Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, MD
The Green Road: Healing with Wild Nature
Natural woodlandMaximum encounter, minimum disruptionHighlight core elements
Water – Stone – Trees - Animals
woodydebris::fallentreetrunkssymbolizethefallensoldiers’legacyinconflicts
Streamrestorationhealsthelandscapeandinvitesaccesstothewater
Green Road Research Team
measures of veterans (and associates):
cognitionmental health physiology and healingsocial
Veterans Outdoor Therapy
Les Winkeler/The Southern Illinoisan World-Herald News Service
Outward BoundHope for the Warriors
Military Service & Health Impacts
• Military service to civilian transition• Prevalence of Stress Response• Service carry-overs
• Purpose/mission oriented• High commitment & exertion• Advanced skill sets• Social cohesion/comraderie
urban forest restoration
Civic Stewardship for Healing
community tree
plantings
parks
public gardens
street trees
neighborhood
American Forests Tree People, Los Angeles
community
gardens
local food
food security
child education
nutrition
food donations
Keep Oakland Beautiful
The Heights Community Garden, Dayton OH
why is this important?
Economic Values!Wolf, K.L. 2016. Uncovering benefits of the urban forest: A look at how urban forestry investment assists local economies, public health. Properties Magazine 70, 2: 55-57.Wolf, K.L., M.K. Measells, and S.C. Grado. (in review). Economics of nearby nature and elder health: A quantitative review. Environmental Health Perspectives.Wolf, K.L., M.K. Measells, S.C. Grado, and A.S.T. Robbins. 2015. Economic values of metro nature health benefits: A life course approach. Urban Forestry and Urban Greening 14: 694-701.Wolf, K.L., and A.S.T. Robbins. 2015. Metro nature, environmental health, and economic value. Environmental Health Perspectives 123, 5: 390-8.Wolf, K.L. 2015. Green strategies to improve public health and save billions. International Innovations 195: 54-55.Wolf, K.L. 2013. The urban forest. Communities & Banking 24, 2: 25-27.* Research and publications were funded in part by the U.S.D.A. Forest Service, National Urban and Community Forestry program, as recommended by the National Urban and Community Forestry Advisory Council (NUCFAC).
annual value of $11.7 billion
U.S. (2015 dollars)
• cradle to grave human life cycle• varied expressions of urban greening
(metro nature)• evidence based human health and
wellness benefits• just beginning the analysis!
printing:
design:
contributing analysts: Dr. Stephen Grado & Marcus Measells, MSU; Dr. Alicia Robbins, Weyerhaueser
the suggestion?
co-design for co-benefits
consider user & visitor benefits
welcome but guide
making sense & legibilitycues to careright amount of complexity
The Green Road, Bethesda
Summary• evidence-based human health &
wellness benefits• across the human life cycle, from
cradle to grave
• economic values• co-design for co-benefits of natural
areas
www.naturewithin.info
